Beshalach: Spiritual Heights & Beyond
By: Batya Hefter The spiritual impact of Kriyat Yam Suf (where a mere handmaiden comprehended a divine revelation that the prophet Yechezkiel Ben Buzi did not have access), second only to Matan Torah, is described metaphorically by the Beit Ya’akov as follows: “They...
read moreBeshalach: To Choose Freedom Over Victimhood
By: Rabbi Herzl Hefter And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with a high hand. When the children of Israel left Egypt, they faced a choice; to maintain a posture of...
read moreVaera: What’s in a Name?
By: Rabbi Herzl Hefter 2 And God spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the LORD. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty (El Shaddai), but by My name LORD (YHVH) I was not known to them. The Divine name El-Shaddai has a number of...
read moreBo: Moshe the Reluctant Redeemer, Part II
By: Batya Hefter “And God says to Moshe, 'Come to Pharaoh…'” The Zohar asks, "Why does the text say 'come'? It should say 'Go [lech,] to Pharaoh. This teaches us that God informed Moshe of His intention to accompany Moshe into the inner sanctum where Pharaoh appeared...
read moreShemot: The Character of a Reluctant Leader and the Incident at the Inn
By: Batya Hefter Following an arduous negotiation, God finally persuades a reluctant Moshe to accept his role as the redeemer of Israel. As Moshe departs to Egypt, spending the night at an inn, we are told of a most baffling incident: God threatens Moshe's life: “And...
read moreTazria: Spiritual lesson from purification of the zav
By Batya Hefter What spiritual lessons can be learned from the laws of impurity/ tumah as they relate to bodily discharges; this is the subject of the end of parshat metzora vayikra 15? There is a shocking discrepancy in severity of the impurity of a zav/ zava as...
read moreVayechi: Ya’akov on his Death Bed: Words of Wrath or Blessing?
By Batya Hefter Ya’akov Avinu, on his deathbed, calls out to gather his children in order to bless them but in truth, Ya’akov’s first three sons receive anything but blessings! Reuven loses his status as first born due to his impulsivity “Because you were unstable as...
read moreA Rough Landing
by Rav Herzl Hefter. I am depressed. Early Friday morning I returned home to Israel from the Limmud Conference in the UK. Jews of all backgrounds, Orthodox, Masorati, Reform and Liberal attended. I say attended and not were represented because we were all there as...
read moreTu B’Shvat/ Shemot Haftara: Of Redemption and Trees
By: Ilana Goldstein Saks. Shabbat Mevarchim Chodesh Shevat Haftarah Parshat Shemot Ashkenazi: Yeshayahu 27:6-13, 29-22-23 (see shiur) Sepharadi: Yirmiyahu 1:1 – 2:3 (see for further study) Spring is the season of redemption. In the month of Nissan, the birth of Am...
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